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Bonaire is
a diver's paradise. The water conditions are ideal for
all levels of divers and its reefs are perfect for photographs
and video lovers. The water temperature is so warm that
one can dive without a suit. Nevertheless, a 3 mm suit
is recommended for repeated dives.
Water visibility is always around 30 meters (100 ft).
The opportunities to find strange fishes are always good.
The dives are very easy and are good for those just beginning.
The ocean is always calm on the west side of the island.
Most of the dives are done from the beach. Yellow rocks
on the highway mark the sites. In the yellow rocks the
name of each site are inscribed. It is as simple as finding
one of these yellow rocks and getting the gear on. There
are more than 60 marked rocks, and there are 90 known
sites, although some are closed during certain seasons.
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Marine Park |
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The park was founded in 1979 to preserve
and protect the beauty of the marine life. The divers
must pay an annual fee of US$ 10. There are certain rules
the divers must follow:
Must have a laminated admission pass.
Anchoring is forbidden.
Spear fishing is forbidden.
It is forbidden to remove anything
living or dead from the park (except garbage).
Do not damage the reefs; avoid touching
the coral and silting up the bottom.
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Underwater |
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The shore bottom slopes slowly from the
beach to 10 meters (33 ft) in depth. It reaches 50 to
100 meters (165 to 330 ft) from the coast, depending on
the spot. This kind shore bottom allows for few corals,
but it does have abundant red fire coral. Divers must
be careful when they enter these areas.
The best spots are usually the shallow ones. Because of
the amount of light one can appreciate the amazing colors.
Twenty meters out on the reef one can find big groupers,
morays of respectable size, some come out to hunt at night.
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SOME FAMOUS SITES |
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Hilma Hooker |
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Depths: 18-30 meters (60 - 100 ft) |
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Current conditions: Light |
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Required Experience: Advanced |
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Access: Shore or Boat |
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One of the most popular dives, Hilma
Hooker was cargo ship that sunk in 1984 when customs officials
discovered a shipment of marijuana. They decided to burn
the shipment and the local diving operators decided to
sink the ship in the reefs of Angel City. The 70 meter
(230 ft) long vessel lies on the sandy bottom some 30
meters (100 ft) in depth. |
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Salt Pier |
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Depths: 5-17 meters (15 - 65 ft) |
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Current conditions: Light |
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Required Experience: Beginner
to Intermediate |
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Access: Shore |
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This spot is the best for photographers
with either macro or wide-angle lens. The opportunities
are infinite. It is also a great spot for night diving.
Do not dive in this spot during the day if a boat is
approaching or when one is docked. The pillars of the
pier are covered with incredible sponges and soft corals.
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Hilma
Hooker - Photographer: Dos Winkel |
Hilma
Hooker - Photographer: Dos Winkel |
Salt
Pier - Photographer: Dos Winkel |
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Town Pier |
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Depths: 5-12 meters (15 - 40 ft) |
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Current conditions: Light |
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Required Experience: Beginners |
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Access: Shore |
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Located next to the customs office, it
is a perfect place to dive for pictures and night dives.
The pier extends some 100 meters (330 ft) from the coast
and another 75 meters (250 ft) in width. The pillars are
covered with prolific purple and yellow sponges, orange
tubastrea, gorgonians, and red fire sponge. Also small
crabs, frogfish, and banded coral shrimps. Remember to
obtain permission from the harbormaster for night dives.
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Klein Bonaire-Forest |
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Depths: 5-12 meters (15 - 40 ft) |
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Current conditions: Light |
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Required Experience: Intermediate |
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Access: Boat |
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The name comes from the black coral forest
that can be found at this spot. This site is the most
requested dive site of repeat divers to Bonaire. Don't
miss this site, it simply mind-blowing! |
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Spotted
Trunkfish |
Hipocampus
- Photographer: Dos Winkel |
Blue
Fish - Photographer: Dos Winkel |
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Karpata |
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Depths: 6-40 meters (19 - 132 ft) |
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Snorkel: Excellent snorkeling site |
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Required Experience: Intermediate due to entry and exit |
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Access: Shore |
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You will soon realize that the adventure
of getting in and out of Karpata is worth the effort.
The underwater terrain has rolling ridges starting at
5 meters (15 ft) and sloping dramatically down well below
40 meters (132 ft). The wall is covered with many varieties
of hard coral, big sponges, and wire corals. Soft corals
appear in the shallow area. There is an obvious anchor
and two hidden anchors at 12 meters (40 ft) south of the
entrance. Karpata was once the site of some underwater
research and the research grids are still in place. |
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Lac Bay channel-Cai |
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Depths: 6-40 meters (19 - 132 ft) |
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Current conditions: Strong |
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Required Experience: Advanced |
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Access: Shore |
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When the winds are calm or nonexistent
and no waves are breaking off the shore it is a good
day for this dive. Then current can be very strong either
going in or out of the bay. The best time of the day
to try this entry is at slack tide. The tide schedule
is published in the Bonaire Reporter.
The depth of the sand channel is only 5 meters (15 ft)
at the beginning, but goes to 13 meters (43 ft) deep further
out. The long swim through the channel to where the reef
starts can contain some exciting marine life. Be sure
to take a compass heading to the reef before you descend.
After you are through the channel follow your compass
heading and swim left over the channel bank toward the
reef drop off. The water is very shallow for a long way
out. Interesting macro algae full of small fish is abundant
over the entire bottom. Eventually the slope drops sharply
to a sandy bottom at over 40 meters (132 ft). The drop
off has a few coral heads, some soft coral and a few barrel
sponges. There are lots of ledges, overhangs, and holes.
This dive is known for big fish and turtle encounters.
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Ol'Blue |
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Depths: 6-40 meters (19 - 132 ft) |
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Access: Shore |
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Required Experience: Beginners (Easy dive with possible surf
entry) |
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It is a short swim straight out to the
drop off over a sandy bottom with many Staghorn Corals.
If you go to the mooring buoy the swim is much longer.
The surf can be a concern when the wind is coming from
the south. The waves which usually break close to the
shoreline can crest at waist height making the entry
and exit more difficult.
The drop off begins at 6 meters (19 ft) and extends to
a depth beyond 40 meters (132 ft). In the shallow water
near the drop off hard corals begin to appear. The slope
is covered with hard coral formations and a few sponges.
above 18 meters (60 ft) there are many ledges to look
under and some large formations of Boulder Star Coral.
Below 25 meters (83 ft) the coral is dead and mostly covered
with macro algae. |
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Karpata |
Karpata |
Ol´blue
- Photographer: Dos Winkel |
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